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Three hours ; or, the vigil of love : and other poems

Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell (1788-1879)

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[dedication]
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[PART I.]
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THREE HOURS; OR, THE VIGIL OF LOVE.
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FIRST HOUR.
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SECOND HOUR.
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THIRD HOUR.
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PART II. POEMS.
  
IRON.
  
PRIZE POEM.
  
THE CHASE OF PLEASURE.
  
STANZAS TO THE MEMORY OF L. E. L.
  
THE EMPIRE OF WOMAN.
  
THE ROSE
  
THE FOUR-LEAVED CLOVER.
  
A THOUGHT IN WINTER.
  
THE DEAD OAK.
  
THE WATCHER.
  
THE LIGHT OF HOME.
  
NOTHING NEW.
  
STANZAS.
  
I SING TO HIM.
  
AN EVENING REVERIE.
  
THE HISTORY OF THE PLANETS.
  
THE HEART'S FOUNT OF STRENGTH.
  
THE STORM.
  
THE RECORD TREE.
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PART III.
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ALICE RAY.
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CANTO I. ALICE AT HOME.
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CANTO II. THE TEMPTATION.
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CANTO III. THE HAUNTED DELL.
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CANTO IV. THE RETRIBUTION.
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[PART IV.] THE MISSISSIPPI, AND OTHER POEMS.
  
THE MISSISSIPPI.
  
MIDNIGHT MUSINGS
  
THE FIRST SWALLOW.
  
THE TWO MAIDENS.
  
TO THE COMET.
  
BONDS.
  
MY OWN THOUGHTS.
  
IS CHINA OUR NEIGHBOR?
  
THE STRANGER.
  
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY.
  
THE POWER OF MUSIC.
  
THE PILGRIM OF THE WORLD.

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7.

The lesson, rightly read, will show
The vanishing hope of things below.
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How prone are men to garner up
Their life-draught in a single cup,—
Keeping their treasure in vessel of clay,
Till drop by drop it filters away.
And then, when thirsting, they must die,
Or do battle, hard and high
With dark thoughts that come like clouds
When the storm the night enshrouds;—
With wild wishes that like winds
Shake Hope's flower-seeds from our minds;
—Hopes are nursed 'neath sunny skies,
Passions on life's storms arise,—
And while their earthward burnings reign
The thirsty soul will seek in vain
For living waters,—draughts from heaven
Are only to the heaven-ward given.
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